2. 'Good People,' Steppenwolf Theatre Company

When I saw the Broadway production of David Lindsay-Abaire's drama about class and relationships in working-class Boston, it immediately seemed like a natural fit for Steppenwolf. But this superb production, a calling card for the mostly untapped directing talents of K. Todd Freeman, not only fit the work, it enhanced the piece greatly and allowed Mariann Mayberry, a performer who has given a good portion of her gut and soul to Chicago theater, a chance to reveal all of which she is now capable.

When I saw the Broadway production of David Lindsay-Abaire's drama about class and relationships in working-class Boston, it immediately seemed like a natural fit for Steppenwolf. But this superb production, a calling card for the mostly untapped directing talents of K. Todd Freeman, not only fit the work, it enhanced the piece greatly and allowed Mariann Mayberry, a performer who has given a good portion of her gut and soul to Chicago theater, a chance to reveal all of which she is now capable.